Community Update (5/15/24)
ANV 10 Year Anniversary Celebration
Thank you to the members, volunteers and supporters who joined us on May 2 to celebrate our decade of service. You can visit our website to read more about the celebration, view a video and see the names of our donors and corporate sponsors. Our next BIG event will be the annual picnic on Saturday, September 7; mark your calendars.
Navigating Senior Housing Options
VHC is hosting a webinar on senior housing options on Friday, May 17 from 11:00am – noon. Where we live plays a role in how well we age. You may feel overwhelmed with understanding the choices and wondering what is best for you. Gain a deeper understanding of the various types of senior living options and learn the advantages and key differentiators of each type. Join Kristy Kennedy and Ginger Noce, co-founders of Silver Bridges Consulting, as they share guidance and tips when shopping for housing, including important questions to ask. Registration required.
National Health & Fitness Day
Join us to celebrate National Health & Fitness Day (hosted by ANV and others) on Wednesday, May 29 at 10:00am – 12:00 pm at the Lubber Run Community Center, 300 N. Park Drive. Attendees can be screened for: Blood Pressure, Vision, Hearing, Falls Risk and/or Cognitive Function There will be information about Home Care Resources, Senior Olympics, Vaccinations, Insurance Counseling and Assistance, Mobility Equipment, Community Services and Healthy Food Tastings. Everyone is welcome.
Roundtable with AARP & CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure: America’s Caregiving Crisis & the Solutions to Support Family Caregivers’ Growing Needs
Monday, May 20, 1:00-2:00pm, VHC Auditorium
AARP will host a roundtable discussion with CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to highlight recent steps CMS has taken to recognize and support family caregivers. Details below.
Memorial Day
The ANV Office will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of the Memorial Day weekend.
Honoring Charlie Clark
Arlington County officials will pay tribute to a late local historian and author, by naming the library system’s Center for Local History in his honor. The facility will now be known as the “Charlie Clark Center for Local History,” library officials announced and as reported in the GazetteLeader.
Welcome
New Members
- Kate Butler
- Levelle Crawford
- Mary Jean Enten
- Veronica Hairston-Moat
- Mary McKeith
- Nancy Yeager
New Volunteers
- Aixa Aleman-Diaz
- Stephen Brucker
- Josh Patecell
- Jenelle Peterson
- Aly Slatkin
- Julie Stoner
Melissa Swan
Activities
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar at www.ANVarlington.org/events so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.
Coffee and Conversation on Wednesdays at 10 am
- May 15: Savvy Ladies
- May 22: Accounting for our Vietnam Vets
- May 29: National Health & Fitness Day Fair
- June 5: Remembering Little Saigon
- June 12: Loneliness in Seniors
- June 19: Arlington’s Black Heritage Museum
Special Events
Weekly Groups
- Tai Chi
- Bocce and Boules
- Happy Hour
- Board Games
Monthly Groups
- Men’s Lunch Bunch
- Ladies Lunch
- Pop Up Picnic
- Page Turners
Educational Activities
Wellness
Village Voices
Also of Interest
ANV Activities
Coffee and Conversation: Wednesdays at 10 am
This ANV Speaker Series is held each Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:00am. Join our weekly conversations via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88948577106?pwd=eW0rN1RTTU5ITmJ5NnF2QXZINmdUQT09
You also have the option to dial in by phone to participate without video. For that, dial: 929-205-6099. The meeting ID is 889 4857 7106 and the passcode is 872327.
Wednesday, May 15: Savvy Ladies. Savvy Ladies is a unique volunteer organization that provides financial education to women to help them build the knowledge and confidence they need to thrive and develop a financially stable future. Tracie Wheeler, Director of Operations and Client Experience, and Chris Blakely, CFP, ChFC will introduce us to Savvy Ladies, and address some of the financial challenges seniors may face as we age, regardless of your gender!
Wednesday, May 22: Accounting for our Vietnam Vets. The war in Vietnam ended in 1973 but 50 years later more than 1,577 soldiers are still missing or unaccounted for. As we approach Memorial Day, Ms. Erin Harroun, Executive Director of the National League of Families of American Prisoners & Missing in Southeast Asia will join us to talk about the organization’s efforts to locate and bring home the remains of these missing heroes. She will also update us on her recent trip to Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia where she met with senior government officials to discuss paths for moving forward with the location and identification of those still missing.
Wednesday, May 29: In lieu of our online speaker, please join us to celebrate National Health & Fitness Day (hosted by ANV and others) on Wednesday, May 29 at 10:00am – 12:00 pm at the Lubber Run Community Center, 300 N. Park Drive. Attendees can be screened for: Blood Pressure, Vision, Hearing, Falls Risk and/or Cognitive Function There will be information about Home Care Resources, Senior Olympics, Vaccinations, Insurance Counseling and Assistance, Mobility Equipment, Community Services and Healthy Food Tastings. Everyone is welcome.
Wednesday, June 5: Remembering Little Saigon. Journalist, essayist, and historian Kim O’Connell shares stories, photos, and memories of the former Vietnamese community that sprung up in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood after the end of the Vietnam War. The daughter of a Vietnamese immigrant, Kim has frequently written about the Vietnamese refugee experience in Arlington and in America as a whole, including the booklet Echoes of Little Saigon: Vietnamese Immigration and the Changing Face of Arlington, Virginia. Her writings have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Parks Traveler, Atlas Obscura, and many other publications.
Wednesday, June 12: Loneliness in Seniors: Assessing Risk and Accessing Social Support Strategies. How can we measure risk of loneliness in the senior population? What kinds of research-based strategies are available that may increase seniors’ sense of feeling socially connected? Maureen Harris is a technology and learning specialist at the Digital Health and Happiness Lab at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. studying the effectiveness of mental health applications to treat anxiety and depression. She is particularly interested in the intersection of educational practices and technology to increase subjective well-being in late-age adults. In addition to working in the lab, Maureen works as an educational consultant specializing in neurodiverse populations. Please take a moment to review the assessment tool that Maureen will discuss.
Wednesday, June 19: Scott Taylor, Director, Arlington’s Black Heritage Museum. Under Scott’s leadership, the Museum went from being an online museum to an actual “bricks-and-mortar” destination. Scott will talk about the origins of the museum and his vision for its future. Scott Taylor is a third generation Arlingtonian, raised in the historic Halls Hill neighborhood. In addition to being the director of the Arlington Black Heritage Museum, Scott is a nationally and internationally recognized musician and author.
ANV’s YouTube channel
If you miss a Coffee and Conversation speaker, be sure to check out ANV’s YouTube channel where we post some of our Coffee and Conversation speakers and other special events. Sit back and enjoy!
Special Events
Roundtable with AARP & CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure: America’s Caregiving Crisis & the Solutions to Support Family Caregivers’ Growing Needs
Monday, May 20, 1:00-2:00pm, VHC Auditorium
This Older Americans Month on May 20, AARP will host a roundtable discussion with CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to highlight recent steps CMS has taken to recognize and support family caregivers, including a new CMS regulation that will allow Medicare to pay doctors, nurse practitioners, and other health care providers solely to train family caregivers. The event will address the rapidly growing needs of America’s more than 48 million family caregivers, who are an essential but often invisible part of almost any care team. Light refreshments will be served.
Please register for the event here.
The event is in person at VHC, Women & Infants Entrance (Zone C) at VHC Health, 1701 N. George Mason Drive. Garage parking will be validated.
Weekly Events
For more information on an event or to request transportation for an activity/event, please email Office@ANVarlington.org or call the ANV Office at 703-509-8057.
Tai Chi: Tuesdays at 9:30 am
ANV Tai Chi practice meets outdoors every week, weather permitting. Meet the group in the parking lot at Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly Arlington Arts Center) at 3550 Wilson Blvd. If the forecast is too cold or wet, we will meet indoors. If you are interested in joining this practice (not instruction), please contact Anita Wallgren at awallgren@gmail.com or (202) 674-5553 to get the weekly location email.
Bocce and Boules, Monday’s at 6pm
Welcome back outdoor Bocce. Join weekly Bocce and Boules on Monday afternoons; games last approximately one hour. Bocce is played every Monday at the courts on the corner of N. Randolph St. & N. Glebe Road, weather permitting. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter parking garage for $1. All levels of bocce skills and experience are welcome. Everyone gets to play. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net. Special thank you to Gary, Michael, Mencit, Mahdu, Gaytri, Sherwood, Becky, and Jim for helping clean up the courts by pulling weeds, sweeping and raking on Saturday, May 4th
ANV Board Games Day, Thursday, May 16 and May 30 at 2pm
Do you like board games? Join ANV members and volunteers for Games Day at Ballston Quarter Food Hall (lower level). Look for players at the tables near the elevators. Play games like Rummikub, Mexican Train Dominoes, Ticket to Ride, Quiddler and more. We play every other Thursday at 2pm. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter for $1. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from John.
Happy Hour: Thursdays, 5–7 pm
Join the ANV Happy Hour Group. The Happy Hour Group will try locations in the Ballston area. For more information and to know the weekly plan, contact Mike Murtha, Happy Hour Coordinator at dmmurtha@verizon.net. Mike will add you to his email list and let you know the weekly location on Thursday morning. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from Mike.
Monthly Events
Men’s Lunch, June 14 at noon
Join the men’s lunch group at Inca Social, 1776 Wilson Boulevard at North Quinn Street. Inca Weekly Events
For more information on an event or to request transportation for an activity/event, please email Office@ANVarlington.org or call the ANV Office at 703-509-8057.
Tai Chi: Tuesdays at 9:30 am
ANV Tai Chi practice meets outdoors every week, weather permitting. Meet the group in the parking lot at Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly Arlington Arts Center) at 3550 Wilson Blvd. If the forecast is too cold or wet, we will meet indoors. If you are interested in joining this practice (not instruction), please contact Anita Wallgren at awallgren@gmail.com or (202) 674-5553 to get the weekly location email.
Bocce and Boules, Monday’s at 6pm
Welcome back outdoor Bocce. Join weekly Bocce and Boules on Monday afternoons; games last approximately one hour. Bocce is played every Monday at the courts on the corner of N. Randolph St. & N. Glebe Road, weather permitting. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter parking garage for $1. All levels of bocce skills and experience are welcome. Everyone gets to play. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net. Special thank you to Gary, Michael, Mencit, Mahdu, Gaytri, Sherwood, Becky, and Jim for helping clean up the courts by pulling weeds, sweeping and raking on Saturday, May 4th
ANV Board Games Day, Thursday, May 16 and May 30 at 2pm
Do you like board games? Join ANV members and volunteers for Games Day at Ballston Quarter Food Hall (lower level). Look for players at the tables near the elevators. Play games like Rummikub, Mexican Train Dominoes, Ticket to Ride, Quiddler and more. We play every other Thursday at 2pm. Parking is available in the Ballston Quarter for $1. Contact John Thomas for more information at thomas-johnr@comcast.net. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from John.
Happy Hour: Thursdays, 5–7 pm
Join the ANV Happy Hour Group. The Happy Hour Group will try locations in the Ballston area. For more information and to know the weekly plan, contact Mike Murtha, Happy Hour Coordinator at dmmurtha@verizon.net. Mike will add you to his email list and let you know the weekly location on Thursday morning. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from Mike.
Social serves authentic Peruvian food including cerviches, causas and saltados. Sandwiches, hamburgers and salads are also included on the menu. Metered parking is available on the street and a public parking garage is located on North Quinn Street. Attendees pay for their own meals by separate check, using cash or credit card. Please RSVP to Tim Burns at tfxb23@yahoo.com. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from John.
Ladies Lunch, June 14 at noon
The Ladies Lunch will be gathering at the new Soul Thai Kitchen and Bar located at 6035 Wilson Boulevard across from Upton Hills Park. Soul Thai has taken the place of our old favorite, Meridian Pint and it offers all of our Thai favorites including a variety of curries, stir fries and noodle dishes. It looks like they have spruced up their outdoor patio so let’s hope for a nice day to enjoy the outdoor seating area. Free parking is available in the adjacent lot. Attendees pay for their own meals by separate check, using cash or credit card. Please RSVP to Roslyn Rubin at Roslynva@gmail.com by June 12 so we may have an accurate count. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from Roslyn.
Page Turners – June 27, 11am on Zoom
Share a book that you have read, and you think would be interesting for other people to read. It can be something you are reading now, or a book you enjoyed in the past. Meet up with your fellow bibliophiles, share opinions, and learn about new books to add to your reading list. The group is hosted by Donna Pastore and Beverly Cannizzaro.
Join the conversation via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89666785566?pwd=WFFpTlY2SkJMQlJjN0NWNEUraFhEQT09
You also have the option to dial in by phone to participate without video. For that, dial: 301-715-8592. The meeting ID is 896 6678 5566 and the passcode is 007241.
Pop Up Picnic in the Park May 31 at noon!
The May PPP will be at Bon Air Park, located at 850 N. Lexington St. Meet at the benches in the rose garden next to the tennis courts. Bring an extra folding chair if you can. Free parking is only steps from the benches. ANV members and volunteers enjoy PPPs to meet for casual conversation, get fresh air, and discover a new neighborhood park in Arlington. Just bring your lunch and something to drink. For more information, contact John Thomas at Thomas-johnr@comcast.net. If you don’t use email, please call ANV Office and request a call-back from John.
Educational Activities
Arlington Public Library Programs
The Library has curated events from the 55+ Program, Encore Learning and elsewhere to make it easy to find something that will pique your interest. There are craft programs, book clubs, and more. It’s worth 5 minutes of your time to click on the calendar of events and see what’s happening at your local branch of the library.
Wellness
Village Voices
Introducing Village Voices, a new feature in the ANV Community Update. Village Voices is a place for ANV members and volunteers to share a poem, a favorite quote, a recipe, a restaurant or movie review, a joke, or a riddle. Anything that made you happy and that might brighten someone’s day. Submissions are welcome at any time by sending an email to Office@ANVarlington.org (subject line, “Village Voices”). Those without access to email may send submissions through the regular mail to ANV Office with ‘Village Voices’ noted on the front of the envelope. Contributions should be short and readable. Sorry, no photos or artwork. Thank you to those who contributed for this issue of the Community Update.
Inspirational Quote: “I cannot live without books”, Thomas Jefferson
Riddle: Answer to last Community Update Riddle: How many bricks does it take to complete a building made of bricks? (Answer: one, the last one)
Joke: Sitting on the side of the highway, a State Police Officer sees a car puttering along at 22 MPH. He thinks, “This driver is just as dangerous as a speeder!” He turns on his lights and pulls the driver over. Approaching the car, he notices a woman in the driver’s seat with five other senior ladies – two in the front seat and three in the back – eyes wide and white as ghosts. The driver says to him, “Officer, I don’t understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit, what seems to be the problem?” The officer tells her, “You should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers. “No sir”, she replied, “I was doing the speed limit exactly… twenty-two miles an hour!” The officer explains to her that “22” was the route number, not the speed limit. A bit embarrassed, the woman thanked the officer for pointing out her error. “But before I let you go, Ma’am, I have to ask… is everyone in this car ok, these women seem awfully shaken and they haven’t muttered a single word this whole time.” “Oh, they’ll be alright in a minute officer, we just got off Route 119.”
Also of Interest
Aging Matters Radio and TV
Aging Matters radio is a weekly program, hosted by Cheryl Beversdorf, and features interviews with experts on topics impacting the lives of older adults, their care partners, and families. Every Tuesday at 3 pm, a new Aging Matters broadcast is posted on Apple and Spotify podcast sites. Aging Matters TV Show offers interviews with aging experts, including demonstrations of aging related subjects. Stories of Life programs feature interviews with older adults who have made a difference in their communities.
Shared Area Village Events Calendar
The Washington Area Villages are sharing their speaker series for all of us to enjoy. Please visit their calendar to see what’s available.
Complimentary membership in Arlington’s 55+ Program is available as an ANV membership benefit. If you haven’t yet opted-in and would like to do so, contact our Member Services Director at 703-509-8057. 55+ Program offerings are posted in the quarterly catalogue available online at Spring Guide.
ANV Events are posted on our online calendar so you can always easily find the Zoom link for any scheduled event.
